Mrs. Jessie Bingham was born in Scotland, March 22, 1865, the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Cullen McDonald. She was 14 months old when she left Scotland with her parents and eight other children to come to America as L. D. S. converts.

The family left Scotland in May, and finally arrived in Salt Lake City, October 1866. Her mother, sister, and a brother were quite ill with mountain fever coming west. Her mother tells the story, that when their company reached coalville, a good friend living there, brought them great kettles of cooked potatoes the first they had had on their long hard journey.

When they arrived in Salt Lake the family lived in a dug-out, and she recalls her mother telling, that it was cool in the summer, and quite warm in the winter. As a child, Mrs. Bingham remembers digging for Sego-lily roots to help the food situation, and that they tasted very good. Her mother went out nursing the sick, very often performing the duties of a doctor. Her father worked in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, in Tooele, and also on the railroad then coming through Weber Canyon.

Because of circumstances, Mrs. Bingham at the age of five, moved with her family to Kansas to join a brother who had purchased a wheat farm.

When Mrs. Bingham was 19 years of age her family returned to Utah and settled in Riverdale, Utah, where she met her husband, Walter Bingham. They were married in October, 20, 1866 in the Logan Temple. Mr. Bingham died February 9, 1927. Mrs. Bingham had seven children, six of whom are living. She has 32 grandchildren, one grandson Walter Bingham was killed during the war. There are 34 great-grandchildren.

During her life Mrs. Bingham was active in Church work, just before the Mt. Ogden Stake was organized she was made President of the Primary association in the Weber Stake, and held this position for 20 years, being the first Primary President in the new Stake.

At one time she was teacher in the M. I. A. and was active in the Relief Society. In her later years she was the Pioneer of Camp 2 of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers.

During the Centennial year, Mrs. Bingham was interviewed over K.S.L. as the honored Pioneer from Weber County.

Mrs. Bingham passed away October 16, 1948 and was buried October 20th, (her 62nd Wedding Anniversary).

Thus closes the life of a Utah Pioneer dearly loved by many.

By Kathryn Bingham, daughter

Camp Q

Source: Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, Salt Lake City